Argentinian tourist is shot in head in Rio after mistakenly driving into low-income community

An Argentinian tourist has been shot in the head and chest in Rio de Janeiro after he mistakenly drove his car into a low-income community, police said

RIO DE JANEIRO -- An Argentinian tourist was shot in the head and chest Thursday in Rio de Janeiro after he mistakenly drove his car into a low-income community, police said. He was reportedly using a GPS device to make his way to the Christ the Redeemer statue.

Gastón Fernando, 51, was taken to Hospital Souza Aguiar, where he is in serious condition, according to firefighters who handled the case.

Fernando was driving with his wife and daughter through the Morro dos Prazeres, a hillside favela dominated by criminal gang Red Command, when he was attacked, police said in a statement. He crashed his car into a brick wall after being shot.

“Preliminary information given by officers in the case suggest that the wounded man was surprised by gunshots made by armed criminals as he mistakenly entered,” police said.